Shades of Winter
by Sanctuary-Enigma
Summary: Abductions have spread across the county. Each one of them linking to a young woman named Kaoru. She can only turn to one man who can save her, but one man can also break her. His name is Battousai.
1. The Shades of the Dweller

This is a new story I wrote.  It just came to me a while ago, but I waited till now to right it down.  I hope you like this chapter.  It might be Battousai/Kaoru.  It depends on how this story turns out to be.  Thanks and enjoy!  Please leave any suggestions, comments, questions, and even flames in your review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series.  I wish I did, but I don't.

The Shades of the Dweller

Chapter One

                Red images swirled through her mind, causing her heart to swell.  Her very breath caught in her throat.  Her sapphire eyes welled up with tears, which refused to fall.  Her body protested to stay within the very walls of the manor house, she considered her prison.  It was now or never.  It was her chance to run, to finally be free from this hell.

                Kaoru ran out the house, leaving her past behind her, to return to the place she originated, the place she once called home.  She didn't know whether her parents would take her in or not, but after witnessing such a scene, after living her years, and wasting them in the hell of manor, her only option was to start all over again, and only hope her past never comes to seek her again.

                _The past is something one should never dwell upon.  It comes and it goes.  It shatters the heart, and leaves the remaining tears.  Sacrifices are made, things are lost.  However one should never dwell upon the past, or slowly they shall be consumed with hatred, remorse, with sadness until it finally kills them, Kaoru told herself mentally.  Born from birth with supernatural abilities, always put her below the standards of being considered a high noble woman.  Her parents were faithful to their roles in society.  Being noble, took up most their times.  They never took time off to see the real world, to see poverty, to see self-stricken people, the sick, and the ones who cry out in vain._

                Her father worked as a politician trying to make his country better, however his insight of certain issues only complicated thing further.  They were a family of class, a family of fame, a family of ideas, but for her the odds were uncertain.

                Kaoru looked away from her given tasks she received earlier from her mother.  She was lucky enough to still be alive, and walking.  Praising to God and God alone, Kaoru kneeled to her knees in front of her idol, her statue she considered a God at her local temple.  Her religious ways were the only things that soothed her soul.  Her spiritual beliefs of her world heightened her senses giving her far better sense then the average human.  Being reclusive to her family was her nature.

                Slowly closing her eyes, images whirled through her closed up world in her mind.  She saw things she couldn't understand, felt emotions that weren't hers.  Screams could be heard from the distance.  Then the shattering of glass, and the thumps of dull objects hitting the floor.  Everything grew still, until only the color of blood red could be seen.

                Kaoru opened her eyes as fast as she could.  She didn't want to have to return back to those visions again.  They haunted her night and day.  They slowly consumed her soul, taking away her innocence, and binding her to darkness forever.  As much as she never wanted to admit to herself she was different from the others, she had no choice but to confess it.  Only God knew what was going to happen to her next.  Only God can determine her outcomes.  All she could do was kneel before her idol and pray for the past to never come and seek her again.

                "Kaoru you wench get here right now!  I don't know why you're even still breathing!  Even all the maids in this house put together can move faster then you!" yelled Kaoru's stepmother from the drawing room.

                Kaoru slowly set the cups on the golden handled tray.  She picked two small different containers that contained sugar and tea bags.  From her right side of the kitchen table, she picked a small plate which contained bread filled with butter for her family's newly arrived guests.

                Footsteps could be heard from a distance.  She knew exactly who entered the house by the sound of the greeting voice.  _Please God, tell me not another one._  Her body panicked, her heart pumped, she could feel her head pounding, while her body shivered in fear.  Another report on a missing victim.  The vision, she had earlier, could it have something to do with the missing victim?  Kaoru wondered who else would go missing.  The fact was she felt a link towards the abductions that were happening lately.  She felt a link for every victim that was kidnapped.  The only weird thing that made no sense was, every victim that was taken, the bond she felt from that person grew much stronger, as if the victims that lived around her area were warning her of someone, of something.

                

                Slowly she walked to into the drawing room, clutching the tray closer to her chest as she brought them their necessary products to make their tea.  They already had clean cups waiting to be filled with hot water.

                "Thank you, Miss Kaoru.  Now will you please dismiss yourself since you're not going to be needed here any longer," said Kaoru's stepmother as pleasantly as she could, but Kaoru knew her evil façade behind the lying expression she had on her face right at the moment.

                Kaoru nodded her head.  Keeping her head bowed she left the room behind, with her step mother and the police officer who came by to see how they were doing.  However before she could exit the room she could have swore she felt a strange gaze, staring hard at her figure.

                Crisps of white fell from the trees above.   Snowflakes glittered in the gentle sunset.  Kaoru smiled slightly as she picked a handful of snow.  It coolness swept through warm hand, leaving remnants of coldness.  She shivered in delight.  One thing she loved more then anything in her life was winter.  When it came, it took away all her worries, all her fears, leaving peace to dwell in her heart.  It was the only time a smile dared to play across her lips.  The only time, the sunset beckoned her to show how vivacious she was.  The only time she could be her true self without anything out of the ordinary to mess with her.

                One by one, from the front of her father's home, she felt and saw snowflakes fall onto the garden.  It looked so beautiful to watch her favorite garden shine so bright in front of her, especially with the sunset barely blinding her.  Growing up on this garden was something she remembered very well from her childhood.  This was where she used to hide from her mean stepmother when her father was away.  She used to run here also to escape reality she was living in.  Since from childhood, she wasn't brought up with the proper education most girls her age had.  Her stepmother stressed her to learn how to cook and do house chores.  She became more like one of the maids who worked in her father's house for free.  Instead of having a luxury room, she had a servant's bedchamber.   Her stepmother once got rid of her, and now to have her back in this house was something Kaoru dared not to think about.

                Without thinking properly, Kaoru twirled around in circles, playing with the falling snowflakes.  Each one gently touched her exposed face, clashing with her long raven hair, battling with her closed eyelids.   She laughed, while she danced in delight on this particular snowy day. How she loved winter.  So caught up with the snow, Kaoru never noticed someone watching her intently as she let a side of her show, which she never showed to anyone before in her life.  It was only when she saw a dark tall figure from the corner of her eyes, did she stopped dancing in the snow.  Her face flushed with embarrassment while she faced the tall dark stranger.

                "A woman like you should always be cautious now a days," said a familiar voice.

                "What makes you say that Mr. Saito?" asked Kaoru innocently.  She tilted her head to look in the fiery of his amber eyes.  Through the fire that burned in his eyes, Kaoru hoped that she didn't see what she saw before.

                "You know perfectly what I speak about Kaoru," he replied simply, but for Kaoru it felt different.  Something creepier.

                "Please do tell me Mr. Saito what I should be cautious about."

                "You haven't heard about the kidnapping that happened last night?"

                "Nope Mr. Saito."  Kaoru was right.  She felt her whole body stiffened at knowing her revelations was proven true.  From the moment he entered her father's house, she knew there was another kidnapping.  Somehow they were linked to her.  The only problem was, she didn't know why they were linked to her.

                "I sensed a lie from you Kaoru.  You and I both know that you aren't stupid as your stepmother believes you are.  I know you know what's going on, however knowing what's been happening you're still out here unprotected," said Saito seriously.  His amber eyes left her sapphire eyes, and wandered up and down her figure, as if undressing her with his eyes.

                "Well thank you Mr. Saito for notifying me about these strange kidnappings, and thank you for worrying about my safety," she said as mannerly voice as she could.  Kaoru just wanted to leave his sight.  Pretend that he wasn't even around.  He made her feel so uncomfortable, made her feel like she was some meat being auctioned off on the market.

                "That is my job after all.  Just be careful, because it would be ashamed if something bad happen to you right now."  With those words he left her by herself in the snowfall of her garden.

                Battousai read the newspaper one more time, before making his final decision.  He heard about each girl's disappearance.  None of them were ever found.  No one knew about their disappearance.  No one ever eye witnessed their disappearances, never noticed anyone or anything strange before the girls were reported missing.  Whoever was up to the kidnappings, was clever.

~~*~~

Kidnapped Once Again 

          A young girl yesterday was reported missing from a woman who owned Akabeko.  The last time the young girl was seen, was early in the morning before she left to run her early morning errands.  The owner of Akabeko called Tae said, "She's really lovely.  A hard worker she is.  She does everything that I asked her, and now one a good girl is lost.  Please if anyone found her, bring her back to me for she has no mother and father.  I'm the only one who could look after her.  Please I beg you whoever find her, please return to me."  

          The young girl reported missing was said to be about thirteen years of age.  She had short dark brown hair up to her chin.  She's about 4'11 in height and has dark brown eyes.  If anyone sees her, please report this important information to your police commissioner Saito.

~~*~~    

Battousai just threw aside his newspaper.  He sipped the last of his sake in before handing it back to the waitress.  He could not believe the kidnapper kidnapped a young girl who was probably going through puberty.  It's been quite a while since the kidnapping has been going on.  However to take a little girl, was like taking away a baby from her mother.  It was time someone had to do something.  If the police couldn't do anything, especially his long rival named Saito, then it was time that he finally stepped into this situation.  There had to be someone out there who knew about these kidnappings.  Someone who knew when they were happening.  Something beckoned him, told him someone just knew, and it was linked to him or her.  It was just to find that one person.


	2. The Shades of the Upcoming Meeting

Hi!  For those of you who don't know, I'm sorry to say Nicky9 will no longer be writing on ff.net, however, I agreed to continue the stories for her.  My name is Deseray, for those who don't know me, and I hope you do support me as you supported Nicky9.  Well sit back and enjoy!  I do hope you enjoy this second chapter!  As Nicky9 said, please do leave comments, questions, and suggestions in your review.  Please don't leave flames, unless it makes complete sense.  Otherwise don't embarrass yourself.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series.  I wish I did but I don't. : ( 

The Shades of the Upcoming Meeting

Chapter Two

                Battousai Himura found himself once more on the streets of New York City.  This was the last place he expected himself to be after what happened to him four years ago.  Just before reaching New York City, he received an invitation from his old friend inviting him to a grand ball he was opening to the honor of his new wife.  Now here he was, approaching his destination to where the ball was going to be held.  Battousai didn't know if people were going to recognize him, but when it came to high-class society, everyone knew each other.  Usually grand balls were held in people's favor.  It was considered a great way to socialize in society.  There everyone talked about money, politics, new social gatherings etc.  For women who joined any conversations talked mainly about art and fashion.  Hardly any woman was different to him.  Battousai wondered if he would ever meet a different woman, a woman who would intrigue him in every way, a woman who had rare natural beauty, which other women envied.  He doubted that he would meet that kind of woman this night.

                The carriage came to halt and the driver of the coach stepped from the carriage to open the door for him.  He absently thanked the driver, and then made his way to step inside the huge mansion.  His old friend Katsura Kogoro, a man he hadn't seen four years ago, decided to contact him with business.  Battousai, being a man of honor could not turn down his old friend.

                As he entered the huge mansion, the place astonished him.  It had changed so much from the last time he was here.  The first grand room he entered was furnished with exquisite antiques.  Gold and silver swept the room from dullness.  Huge red drapes were tied together carefully with sweet edged ropes.  People lingered all about the room.  Men were smoking their brandies, wearing the finest tuxedos they had, while women in their fine beautiful dresses were in the middle of the grand room chatting away, probably gossiping on the latest scoops they heard.  From the distance Battousai saw Katsura talking sweetly to the woman right next to him.  Seeing her beauty made Battousai smiled a little bit.  He could remember quite a while ago, when Katsura claimed that no woman could ever steal his heart.  He mentioned his heart was only in running for senate, hoping someday in the future his presence alone could change a few things in New York City, however he was wrong about the woman part.  Before Battousai could move to steal a glass of fine wine from the waiter next to him, he saw his friend caught a glimpse of him from a distance.

                "Battousai Himura!" his friend called from his group.  He kissed his wife on her cheek, and then excused himself from his fellow friends whom he was talking too.

                "It's good to see you again sir.  I see everything is quite well," replied Battousai honestly, mannerly, posing himself in posture to show other men and women he was a gentlemen.

                "Ah, I see you haven't changed one bit from the last time you were here, however the place did change.  My wife did the interior decorating.  She came from a noble family, very graceful, well mannered, and a fine decorator," Katsura said while glancing over his shoulder to look at the beautiful woman who captured his heart.

                "And I see you lost your heart completely to her already.  If I didn't know Katsura, it looks like you never kept up to your words about a woman captivating you."

                "You got me there, dear old friend.  Sometimes things happen without you knowing it.  I feel like it was just yesterday when I met her through a political meeting.  She was there honoring both her father and uncle for their business well done in New York City."

                "I congratulate both you and your wife on your marriage.  I'm sorry I couldn't make it, but I had some very important business to attend to.  Talking about business, did you not call me on a case here?"

                Battousai saw Katsura stiffened a little, as if his words struck a blow to his core.  It took quite a moment for Katsura to ease before he began speaking to him with a normal tone.  "I called you here, because I need your help on a case.  New York City had many cases before, but never a case like this.  Saito Hajime has been the police commissioner of New York City for years.  This city never had one case he could not solve so easily, however, there is this one case that is fully a mystery."

                "I know what case you're talking about.  You're talking about the case of the missing girls.  The newspaper spoke about a young girl by the name Tsubame who was abducted about a week ago.  Her body was never found like the others, therefore that leads us to the conclusion that she is alive."

                "I am hoping she is alive.  Even though she does not have parents, she had many people who adored her at the place where she was working at.  They all looked forward to her services.  They all said she was very kind, very polite.  Yet there is not an eyewitness who witnessed anything strange or even her abduction."

                "She is alive Katsura.  I know it from instincts.  I have worked on many cases before.  I do know someone must have witnessed this kidnapping, there are just afraid to confess it.  I promise you, while I am here working on this case with Mr. Hajime, that I will do everything in my will power to make sure this case is solve," affirmed Battousai. His amber eyes glittered with determination.  He placed his right hand over his heart, bowed to Katusra, and walked away from him to the waiter to attained his waiting glass of fine red wine

                While drinking his red wine, a young woman came up by his side.  Her green eyes appearing at him from below her thick dark eye lashes.  She smiled sweetly at the other approaching woman who joined her at her other side.  Battousai wasn't the type of man to eavesdrop over a woman's conversation, but he could not help himself to hear what they were saying because he was bored.

                The woman in the light green dress, which brought out the color of her eyes quite beautifully talked gently to the other woman.  "Well tell me how you are enjoying the party dear sister."

                "Megumi, I don't know why you dragged me here.  I dislike coming to these parties, just like how I dislike going shopping," murmured the other woman ungracefully.  She looked jaded, her dress a pale pink color which brought her out just fine.  Even though her dress was considered to be plain among all the other dresses women wore, she still looked beautiful, but she also looked jaded.

                "Well I'm sorry to hear that, but you have to take your head off your books time to time.  Plus you always run the house.  For a girl your age, you must be thinking differently.  You were brought up like a woman, yet you are stubborn, and opinionative like a man," replied Megumi softly.  Her green eyes scold her gently, yet her face stayed as sweet as ever.

                "I can't help if I'm considered different from all these women.  I am just a woman who has many things that are used to clip my wings, while I won't let them break my spirit," replied the other woman hastily.

                "You are independent, but I wish you could see how naïve you are.  You never told me what happened the other night Kaoru.  You never spoke to mother about it, or father.  They are all deeply worried about you dear sister," whispered Megumi quietly.  The other woman tensed a bit.  She did not say another word, for her body spoke a language of how nervous she was.  She didn't look at her sister.  Instead she looked directly at him, knowing he was eavesdropping on their conversation.  Quickly as his amber eyes clashed with her sapphire eyes, he looked away.

                Battousai swore to himself, something he hardly ever did.  He couldn't believe he got caught eavesdropping on a conversation so easily.  No one was able to catch him eavesdropping so easily.  It meant two things.  It meant either he was losing his abilities of being a fantastic sleuth, or it meant the girl was a good observer.  Getting caught in his own thoughts, he never realized the same woman whom caught him eavesdropping on her conversation was now standing before him.

                "Excuse me sir," she said softly, waving her small pale hand before his face, as if to get his attention.

                Without thinking, reflexively he caught her wrist in his large hand.  His amber eyes once again looked at her sapphire eyes.  Instantly he felt aware of the party, of her being the woman who caught him in his act earlier.  There was something about her that captured his attention immediately.  He felt like he wanted to know more about this woman, that she was a woman filled with mystery.  He could tell by looking in her expressive eyes, that she found him to be very interesting.

                "I'm sorry to disturb you, but my sister and I were wondering if you are new here in New York City?" asked the woman politely.  The other woman, who stood beside her earlier, came up right next to her once again.  He let go of her hand instantly.

                "My name is Battousai Himura.  I am not new here in New York City.  I was born and raised here, but I left to live in Boston.  Only recently did I come back," he replied.  His face remained impassive as he spoke.  His amber eyes never reflected any emotion while he spoke.

                "I am known as Lady Sagara but people also call me Megumi.  This is my younger sister known as…" Megumi never got to finish her sentence.  The other woman interrupted her.

                "My name is Kaoru.  Please do call me that."  Battousai looked at her with interest.  His eyes never left he face.

                "If you wish.  Do you perhaps know where I can locate Mr. Hajime?" asked Battousai.  His amber eyes stayed glued the woman who was called Kaoru.

                "No I'm sorry I don't know where he can be located.  I doubt he will be in his office at this time of night," replied Megumi.

                "Mr. Saito is in his office this night.  Earlier on he dropped by the Kamiya residence, as he does so every afternoon to check up on the Kamiya family," Kaoru whispered softly.

                "Thank you very much," Battousai said kindly.  His eyes finally flickered with a smile to show her appreciation for her valuable information she shared with him.

                "If I am not being to bold, why are you asking for him?" asked Megumi, her green eyes showed curiosity.

                 "Lady Sagara, that was very bold of you.  I am sorry that I can't quench your thirst for private matters remain private business," he said harshly.  It stunned both Megumi and Kaoru.  Before he was standing like a gentleman, being kind, conversing with two women, but then through one question, his attitude as well as his facial expression changed.

                "I apologize on my sister's behalf for offending you.  I hope you will take it lightly and forget it.  To not bother you any further, we will leave you to your being," whispered Kaoru once again.  She turned around, clutched her sister's hand, and was about to walk away.

                "No, wait, you have done nothing wrong, its just some things should be kept private.  I hope to speak with you again.  Tomorrow I will come to the Kamiya residence to speak with Mr. Hajime.  If you see him, please do tell him that I am looking forward to speaking with him," said Battousai lightly.  His eyes warmed when he looked at her.

                "Yes I will notify him when I see him."  Those were the last words Battousai heard from the mysterious young girl.  As he watched the young woman leave with her sister beside her he hoped to hear from her sometime again in the future, however right now he was here in New York City to do one thing, and that one thing was to solve a case, a very difficult case. 


	3. The Shades of the Prey

Hey everyone, this is Nicky9.  I have decided once again to continue writing my fics.  You can say I receive inspiration from a very good friend, who wouldn't give up on me.  Deseray in the meantime decided to focus more on school.  I will only continue to update my fics when I update others.  I will try to write most and update most of them at the same time.  If anyone has comments, questions, or suggestions, please leave them in your review.  Thank you for those who supported Deseray.  I don't take flames.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Rurouni Kenshin.  But I don't. : (

The Shades of the Prey

Chapter three

                A young girl no older then thirteen walked over to the sink to rinse her hands from the onions she helped her grandfather cut.  Slowly peering over her small shoulder, her green eyes inspected the small table behind her.  She wanted everything to be perfect.  A pile of garlic cloves was neatly arranged in a small dish.  Next to it was a bundle of spinach leaves, her grandfather planned to fry down.  However, before frying it down, she had to stop off at the grocery store around the corner of her block to pick up a special item, an item known as basil. 

                "Ayame, here is the money for the basil.  Come home on time.  It is getting dark outside," said her grandfather with a serious tone.

                Ayame nodded her head.  She put up her light brown hair in a quick ponytail, got the money her grandfather handed her, and headed out the door.

                Outside, New York streets were always crowded.  People, who lived at the Lower East Side, lived in small crowded tenements, which cooped more then one family per tenement.  Most of the people living in tenements were immigrants who traveled to land of freedom known as the United States of America.  Here was the talk of equality, the talk of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, which rumored throughout the urban life.  Families came here for a better life, yet, none of these things happened.  Many crimes took place at the Lower East Side.  Because the people who lived in this side were poor, justice could not prevail so easily. 

                Ayame struggled to pass through the crowded of people.  Each of them swarmed her direction, nearly knocking her small frame to the floor.  Her destination to the grocery store was almost near her, when a group of men literally knocked her small frame to the floor.  At first she thought the intentions of the men were kind, but only when her green eyes peered the messy light brown of her hair, did she see something in their eyes she did not wish to see.

                With haste, her senses calling to her run from the thugs, Ayame got to her feet.  One step went after the other as she turned another direction.  Her body screamed for her to run.  Her throat dried up, could not form any words.  One of the large men grabbed her around her small waist, and practically picked her off her feet.  She tried with all her might to fend off the large bulky arms, which squeezed the very air from her lungs, only to fail.  No one noticed her being kidnapped.  No one cared.  They only cared about themselves.  There was no compassion in their soul for a helpless stranger.  

                A sudden urge to fight, to flee from the thugs who now held her captive took over her.  She bent her small frame low, bit the thug's left arm so hard, she could taste the bitter liquid of blood in her mouth.

                "You bitch!" cried a voice.  The last she could remember was feeling a hard knock against her head before everything went blank

                Amongst the shadows in one of the dark alleyways, there was a stranger who cared.  With his chocolate brown eyes fixed on the thugs who threw the limp girl in the carriage, he promised retribution.  Those thugs were going to pay with their very lives. 

                 Kaoru sat before her idle, her God, mediating her ancient beliefs.  Then a quick sudden shift of her insides, her blood flowing hotly through her veins, caused her to cease praying to her lord.  Instead she raised one fisted hand over heart, as she heard her heartbeat thundering throughout the room.  She had one of those visions again, except this one wasn't bloody.  Oh no it was not.  It was a vision of a young girl who was taken in broad daylight.  She felt fear running through the girl emotions in her vision, the need to run away, to go home into her sanctuary place.  Kaoru felt the air running low through the girl's lungs, how she fought to keep conscious; to get someone to noticed her.  But no one did.  The place was too crowded, and no bothered to observe their surroundings or to help the defenseless girl.  No one.

                As fast as Kaoru tried to get her vision out of her head, the more it came at her causing her anguished, causing her to cry out in such pain.  She balled her fists at her temples, as she banged her head on the floor.  No one noticed the helpless, no one cared.  There was not one who gave a damn, about the souls who were born in such ranks, and could not afford to protect themselves in such dark events that happened all over the world.

                Just then, she felt a small hand clutching her face, trying to stop her from hurting herself even more.  She looked through her long dark lashes to see a beautiful face looking at her with such concern in the ember eyes.  Kaoru knew the woman, for she worked as a servant at the Kamiya's residence for quite a while.  She was the best worker of all the maids, and Kaoru's best friend.

                "Kaoru, please calm down!  You are going to attract attention up here, and your mother would not like that idea," said the young maid with a concern tone.  The maid carefully wrapped her arms around Kaoru, and helped her stand up.  

                Kaoru was so weak, her mind swirled in endless circles.  Her head throbbed so much, yet the impact of the vision did not leave her in peace.  Its remnants still haunted her very soul

                "Did you have one of those visions again Kaoru?" asked the maid beside her, as she helped her walk her into her room.

                "Yes Misao, I did have one of those visions, and this one was not pleasant as the last one," said Kaoru carefully.  Her throat was all dried up, so her words came out croaky.

                "What was this one about?"  By the time Kaoru got to her bed, she didn't seem notice anything else but the soft western bed, the soft mattress beckoning her to sleep.  The grand golden shades of the canopy welcomed her senses, indulged her to fall asleep.  This was the only luxury her stepmother could not take away from her.  She took away everything else, her home, her clothes, her rich food, her education, but she could not deprive her of her luxury room, and her sprit.  Not when her biological father was still alive.

                "Are you sure you want to know Misao?"  She closed her eyes, to give herself away to her dreamland.

                "I want to know and I demand you tell me this instant," pointed out Misao.

                Kaoru opened her eyes, and let the remnants of her vision take over her.  Slowly it consumed her whole body, taking over her personality.  With a strange voice Misao did not recognize Kaoru whispered, "Another innocent girl has been kidnapped."  

               In the dimness of the offices, the hearings of rattling papers, the voices of men in distances, Battousai passed them all.  He didn't have time to observe his surrounding, not after the distress telegram he received from candidate Katsura who reported a next abduction.

                His quick strides led him to the corner of the building he was in.  At his right, he saw Katsura stranding before his window.  His back turned away from the door.  Battousai with keen senses, felt worry in the atmosphere, he even felt doubt.  One of his special gifts of sense was being able to determine the atmosphere of a room.  His teacher, taught him that a very good fighter must rely on his senses to know about their opponent, or they die from not knowing anything at all.  After all death was the ultimate punishment.  The main theme was to kill, or be killed.

                Battousai entered the office.  He saw a pile of folders laying on the table, dimmed candles that were lit, flickered with the little fresh winter breeze that escaped from outside.

                "I was wondering when you were going to get in.  Abduction has happened again.  An old man, came here to report his grand daughter went missing in the afternoon," said Katsura lightly.  However, his body posture spoke differently from the tone of his voice, Battousai observed.  "He sent her to buy something at the grocery store and she never came back."

                "Do you know where I could find this man who claimed his grand daughter to be missing?" asked Battousai.  Just after asking his question, he felt another presence behind him, waiting to be found.

                Slowly Battousai whirled around to see the old man staring at him.  His eyes held so much grief.  His old, faded clothes spoke of his social class.  His wrinkles on his face, the puffiness of his cheeks, the redness under his eyes, spoke of all the waiting, all the stress he went through for his grand daughter.  And then another small figure appeared.  It looked like a young girl no older then eight.  Her red hair was tied in pinky tales, her innocent light brown eyes looked directly at Battousai.  He saw no hint of fear, just laughter, like she knew nothing happened to what he assumed to be her older sister.

                "You don't have to look very far.  I waited here for your arrival to tell you all I know about my grand daughter's disappearance," said old man with a rough voice.  His eyes seemed to sadden much more, when he mentioned the disappearance of his grand daughter.

                "Exactly what can you tell me about this case?"  Battousai walked closer to the old man who did not flinched by his action, however, the girl who was once beside the old man, moved behind him.

                "I found an eye witness who saw everything of what happened to my grand daughter."


	4. The Shades of the Seducing

Lately I have been taking a long time in updating a lot of my stories.  I know there are a lot of stories in which I am finally updating like months later.  For that I apologize, but I have been keeping to my promises in continuing them.  I have been reading many books, watching many movies to gain ideas and learn to improve my style in writing.  I hope you guys like this chapter and enjoy it, because I can't guarantee that I would update immediately.  Please at least leave a review.  Any suggestions, comments, and questions are accepted.  I can't stand flames.  **Those who can't write leave flames.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.  I wish I did but I don't.  : (**

**The Shades of the Seducing**

Chapter Four 

                Kaoru brought her brush, to brush her long raven hair.  Then swiftly, she braided her long hair, to keep her strands away from her face.  Today was a normal day like every other day, except today Misao got the day off from her work as a maid.  In ways Kaoru wished to be like the other woman, but faith was never too kind.

                "You almost done getting ready.  Your step mother would be needing you very soon," said Misao quietly as she entered Kaoru's room.

                "Yes, she'll be needing me to only nag me and make me act like another servant girl," Kaoru retorted back to Misao, snapping at her best friend for no reason in general.

                "I'm sorry.  I was only doing what I was being asked to do."

                "I'm sorry for unleashing my temper on you, when you did no wrong."

                Kaoru and Misao just looked at each other.  Then with general understanding of the situation, they both broke down into laughter.  If anyone else was in the room, conversing with them, they would have remarked them as crazy, but basically they were women who tried to turn their situation light as best as they could.  As servants, they were always working hard for such little salary.  The job was needed, the shelter really good, and the food wasn't bad.  They only had to work for their share.  To make time the best for them, they found several ways in laughing.  This was one of those moments.

                Finally their laughter died down, and they were struggling for breath.  Kaoru, who was very interested on how Misao was going to spend her free day, couldn't help to ask her plans.  "So how are going to spend your free day today Misao?"

                Misao turned away from Kaoru to look at dresser across from Kaoru's room.  She originally turned away from Kaoru, because she wanted to hide her crimson face from the innocent girl.  There were many things Kaoru didn't understand.  In ways Misao hoped for Kaoru to remain the way she was.

                "Well, aren't you going to tell me how you will spend your free day today?" asked Kaoru once more, getting up from her small bed and walking to her best friend, who turned away from her seconds ago.

                "I was…," Misao spoke incoherently, trying to find the right words in which she could say to Kaoru.

                "You were trying to what?"  Kaoru moved closer to her best friend.  As soon as she was close enough to see her best friend's facial expression, she turned away, as if trying to hide a secret from her.  "Please do tell me.  You don't know how much I envy you for having a day off, when I must work hard everyday."

                "Okay, okay, since you persist in knowing my business so much, I will tell you how I plan to spend my day."  Misao turned toward Kaoru once more and walked in the direction of Kaoru's bed.  She patted a place next to her on the bed, telling Kaoru without words to come and sit next to her.

                Kaoru on the other hand took out her maid's turbo and was struggling to put it on.  Her struggles only failed her attempts to prove herself worthy as dressing independently without any servants there to help her.

                "Stop acting like a little child and come here so I can help you," said Misao generously as she saw Kaoru's attempts were futile. In ways Misao wanted to laugh, but laughing was the last thing she wanted to do, since she didn't want Kaoru feeling so bad.

                "Fine, I will come over there, but you must promise to tell me your plans for today," said Kaoru, hesitating to make her way to her own bed, to sit next to Misao.

                "Fine, I promise."  Misao raised her right hand as she promised her friend to tell her on her future plans.  Then after what seemed like forever in waiting, Kaoru walked up to her best friend and let her finish tying up her turbo in the back.

                "Do you remember Aoshi-sama?" asked Misao.  She gently intertwined the turbo ribbons in her hands.  Gracefully she made bows and wrapped the loose ends of the ribbons around the bows.

                "Yes, we use to help solve mysterious cases with him, until he went to Boston."

                "Yes he did go to Boston for a little while, but only recently he came back because of a new case.  I heard this case is much more complicated to solve then the last other cases.  It may have something to do with supernatural you know what."

                "I wonder… is that the same case that Mr. Saito comes here to notify us about?"

                "How I am suppose to know?  You are the one who senses his presence.  You are the one to know when abduction occurs.  I am just the person on the sideline."

                Kaoru stopped talking to Misao for a moment.  Could the abductions have a connection to his return?  Why are these abductions happening and what for?  How do they link to her?  Someway, somehow, she had to find a way of solving the case, and with Aoshi back in town, she could use him as a resource to help solve the mysterious case.  

                Finally breaking from her thoughts, she remembered Misao mentioned Aoshi.  "What are you going to do with Aoshi-sama?"

                "Well," Misao blushed as she thought of him once more.  "I thought we could spend the day together.  You know, we could talk and certain stuff."

                "Oh!" exclaimed Kaoru now fully comprehending her best friend's weird way of acting.  "You want to pursue him don't you?"

                "Kaoru!" Misao shrieked, totally not believing her ears.  The innocent Kaoru fully understood the intention in which Misao was talking about.  "How could you think of something like that?"

                "I never did, you are thinking the way you are thinking," said Kaoru nefariously.  Her cheeks also turned into a crimson color from thinking what she really meant, what she said to Misao.  Before Misao could get up from her seat to playfully strangle Kaoru, another woman entered the bedroom.  Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the beautiful Megumi looking at them totally shocked.

                "I came to tell you Kaoru, that father is coming home again.  Mother wanted you to change from your dress and wear something decent for his incoming occasion," replied Megumi, never taking her eyes off her sister.  "While you are changing, maybe you could change your attitude to how a proper lady should address others."  With that Megumi walked away.

                "I guess you are going to have your day off after all," remarked Misao as she helped untie the back of Kaoru's turbo.

()

                Battousai entered the Kamiya residence late in the evening.  Though he wanted to get there earlier, he got caught up in Katsura's office, speaking about the mysterious case that summoned him back to New York once again.  Who ever thought he was ever going to come back home once again?  He thought when he left; he left permanently, yet he was here.  To make things more intriguing then they already are, last night he met a woman that caught his attention.  Any woman, who was capable of such a great feat, was special someway.  But what really got him coming to the Kamiya residence was the fact Saito shared personal information about the case to the young woman.  To make a great excuse to both see her and talk to her again, he decided to use Saito to talking to her.  There he could find useful information as to why Saito was interested in giving away personal information to the young woman.  
  


                Upon him entering the grand mansion, awaited inside were servants.  They gave him their undivided attention as they swiftly served his every need, except for the need of seeing one woman.

                Down the entry hallway, a tall elegant woman appeared, dressed in the finest dress he'd ever seen.  From the distance he could have mistaken her to be Kaoru, but it was Lady Sagara, the woman who mentioned to be the sister of Kaoru.  Swearing to himself, he walked gracefully up to the woman, and lightly took her hand up to his mouth.  Gently, and quickly he kissed her hand, as a regular gentleman would to a lady, then stepped back to greet her politely.

                "It is a pleasure to see you this evening Lady Sagara," greeted Battousai as best as he could muster.  "I see you are dressed beautifully tonight.  What is the occasion if I may ask?"

                "The occasion is my father's arrival tonight from one of his important businesses.  He had been gone for a long time you see," replied Megumi lightly.  Her hands gracefully went to her sides, while she kept Battousai her full focus.

                "That is good to hear.  I will like to meet your father, if you don't mind," said Battousai gently as he could mustered once again.  If this woman were good enough to read people, she would be able to tell how hard he tried to act so polite.

                Then from across the room, Kaoru flung herself away from the other servants.  Hastily, she tried to fix up herself, unaware that Battousai was even in the room.  Only when her sapphire eyes raised, her eyes met with his strange amber eyes.  It caused her breath to cease.  Her mind wondered that if she was seeing the same man she met last night.  He looked so different, more dangerous looking then a gentleman; his aura talked of manly like, attractive to any woman who fell under his spell.  The worst thing for a woman to do was make eye contact with a man.  That alone spoke of the dangers between a man and a woman.

                "I apologize for my rude encounter," said Kaoru quietly as she bowed before Battousai and her older sister.  She felt so impetuous, like a child compared to her older, beautiful sister.  Her cheeks were red from embarrassment.  To keep some sanity in her, she kept her head bowed.  After waiting for consent from her older sister, Kaoru left the room, to go off to the other room.

"I apologize for her rude behavior.  Sometimes she forgets she from a noble class.  It is from hanging out too much with servants; she learned her behavior from.  I will make sure in the future, she will learn her rightful place," said Megumi with an awkward smile.  Battousai could tell she felt embarrassed by the situation.

                "That is fine," answered Battousai.  "I have some questions I need to ask.  You see earlier on today, a young girl was kidnapped.  She failed to come home.  I know Mr. Haijme reports to you about this information.  I was wondering if I could ask some questions to Kaoru."

                "Do go ahead.  She went into the family room.  After all that is where we meet father."  Megumi pointed to the room, Battousai saw Kaoru disappeared in.  When he turned his head to thank her, he saw a tinge look of disappointment in her eyes while she moved away, her fullness of skirts flowing after her.

                As Battousai reached the entrance of the family room, he watched Kaoru in interest.  He saw Kaoru inspecting the room, taking her pointer finger and running it through the mantle pieces, inspecting to see if dust existed.  Her eyes seemed so focused on her task, her mind concentrating on keeping everything neat, that she never noticed his arrival in the room.  Only when she turned expecting to meet her father, she found him.  An astonishing look appeared on her face, to be replaced by disappointment.  Pretending that he was never there, she turned around, continuing with her tasks once more.

                "Is something on your mind?" asked Battousai pleasantly, enjoying the way she jerked in front of him.

                Kaoru jerked, she told herself to say, "No," and instead said, "Yes."

                He seemed amused.  "Do tell."

                "Um…um… You looked rather interested in my sister," Kaoru said carefully, not wanting to alarm anything precarious from the man standing before her.

                He didn't seem to understand what she was saying.  "Your sister greeted me and was telling me of the arrival of your father."  Then he stopped and stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.  "I think I understand where you are coming from."

                Kaoru raised her hands defensively as to ward him off.  "It is not you."

                He gave her a look of question, as if not fully understanding her this time.

                "I mean you acted in a way you were not use to around her, but she looked so interested in you.  She was quite furious when you were not taken smitten with her last night.  After all she is use to a lot of attention from many admirers."

                "And you are use to none?" Battousai counter attacked in verbal phrase.

                "I am use to admirers, though I have my mind in different places at times," Kaoru said feeling a little temper erupting from her.  She clenched her small hands in fists at the back of her, to help keep her under control.

                "I see you are not use to conversing with people," Battousai observed diligently.

                It only furthered Kaoru's short temper.  "Well, sorry for disappointing you.  I have other things to deal with at the moment."

                Kaoru shifted her direction toward the china.  Her eyes scanned every inch of them, making sure dust did not exist.  She froze as a soft drawl washed seductively over the nape of her neck, and then her heart thundered with alarm and fear.  Here she was located in her family room, the family in which betrayed her, yet she was willing to devote her life for them, with a man she just met and was doing weird things to her.   Slowly she turned face him again.

                Her thoughts automatically went to how much this man affected her.  His lager frame covered her smaller frame making her feel so vulnerable, so exposed to his amber eyes.  He was darkly, disturbingly handsome, his long blood red hair only enhanced his looks.  Somehow he was dangerously seductive, more like a woman's magnet.  She didn't want to get herself caught up with this kind of man.  He couldn't be considered a gentleman.

                He was smiling at her, but his smile did not reach his eyes.  It was the first thing she noticed about him.  She inhaled to make sure her breathing wasn't ragged.  He made a sound; one of his long callused fingers tenderly stroked her cheek.

                "If only you know how amazing you are, how beautiful you are.  Any man would be damned if he did not see the natural beauty you possess.  Any woman would be so envious, that they would make you low, so that you could think low.  In my eyes, however I see the true you," Battousai said gently.

                Kaoru backed away, as he slowly began to advance on her.  A man she only met last night was now making moves on her.  She knew how to get herself out of situations, but this situation was the hardest things she ever came across.  Her mind began to spin, while her vision became blurry.  Her body felt a little tingling sensation at the pit of her stomach.  How can a man get her to respond to him, like the way she did with him?

                "Do not bother to reply," he drawled out, but before he could lower his head to hers, she flung herself away and outside the room.  A shout for her father could be heard from the distance.


End file.
